ALL ABOARD!!

We left the desert for the day and hopped on the train to the North Pole. :)

This was our second year doing the Polar Express..Last year Grandma Ding and I took just Neve and spent the night at the Railway hotel. This year, they added a daytime train so we were able to take Nate! Yay! The problem with the night trains is that since the train car is inside lit the whole time and it's dark outside, you can't see the scenery outside the train...and we had a feeling, knowing Nate, that he would love to watch the train speed by everything so night trains just wouldn't cut it.

So we packed the car and headed north about 3.5 hours. The Grand Canyon Railway is just west of Flagstaff. The weather couldn't have been more perfect- high 30's and sunshine. Well, actually I wish there had been snow on the ground. I need my snow fix!

We had lunch at the station and played on the playground a bit til the train rolled in and it was time to board.

The ride was great. Nate, as predicted, LOVED looking outside and watching it all. Neve was jazzed she got a candy cane. hahahha.

Then the conductor came to punch tickets.

They read the Polar Express book and bring it up and down the aisles.

Then we made it to the North Pole!

Ok, so it looked totally chintzy not lit up like it is at night..but hey, for my kiddos it was prefect. You pull up slowly and see Santa and Mrs. Claus...then when you pull back, Santa is gone! :) he boards the train and starts making his way through the train cars.

Then they met Santa and got their special bells.

Then we sang Christmas carols and headed back to the station.

When we got back, they got to go meet Mrs. Claus and deliver their Santa letters to her to give to Santa.

Nate didn't want to go up, so Neve mailed her letter as well as Nate's.

Nate had some issues sleeping on the drive home and we got home really late, but overall a fantastic trip. can't wait to go again next year!!!

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